Game-counter.



W. E. DAVIS.

GAME COUNTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1915. 1,151,668. Patented Aug. 31, 1 915.

W k W wflxwizliJlaA Y 1 q Q M -UH designated, respectively, by numerals 10, 20,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. DAVIS, OF IPSWICH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

GAME-COUNTER.

Specification of Letters Patent. 1

Application filed May 22, 1915. Serial No. 29,886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of New Ipswich, county of Hillsboro, State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in GameCounters, of which the following is a full and clear specification, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device; Fig. 2 a longitudinal section view thereof on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, one of the main plugs and the two supplemental plugs being shown in side elevation; Fig. 3 an end view, and Fig. 4 a transverse section on the line 44 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of one end of the cylinder slitted longitudinally and flattened out to show the arrangement ofholes more fully.

'The object of this invention is to provide a simple device which will have a large capacity for counting the score of games as well as for counting games, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, a designates an openended cylinder provided with ten longitudi- ,nal rows of holes 6, these holes being arranged so that they also aline circumferentially and being divided midway the length of the cylinder into groups of five each, so that each end of the cylinder may be used by each player for counting his score. Each player will, therefore, have ten longitudinal rows arranged in five circumferential rows for counting the score of his game. The first hole, namely, 6'', of what maybe called the first row in each group is designated by zero, and the other four holes in that row are progressively toward the end of thecylinder 39 and 40. The first hole 6 of the nextadjacent row is designated by the numeral 50 andthe other holes in this row are designated by numerals which are multiples of 10, as in the first row. In the same manner, the remaining rows are designated in multiples of 10 so that thefinal hole 6 ofeach players group shall indicate 490fpoints. V

Frictionally fitted into each, end of the cylinder is a plug 0' provided with a knurled annular flange 03 at its outer end to permit it to be turned byv the thumb and finger. At the inner endof each of these cylindrical plugs is arranged an annular series 0, the numerals running from O'to 9. The remain- 1ng surface of each plug is left blank.

F rictionally fitting the exterior of the cylinder so as to be rotatable thereon is a pair of rings f, the rings on the cylinder being grooved to prevent them from sliding longitudinally on the cylinder. To obtain in a simple manner a frictional fit, these rings are transversely slitted at f and these slits f may be used as indicators as hereinafter set forth. One of these rings is used with each of the players groups of holes, and it is preferably located at the outer end of the group. Uneach end face of the plug 0 is marked a series of numerals g from 1 to as high a number as is desired. For ordinary purposes, it will be suiilcient to have these numerals run from 1 to 10, the final numberbeing used also as zero. In the center of the outer end of each plug is frictionally fitted a supplemental plug it which ,may be frictionally rotated by the thumb and finger, this plug being provided with a head it bearing against the end face of the main plug. At one point around the outer edge of the head it is provided an indicator 723, this indicator being in the present instance made by simply notching the edge of the head. Any other suitable device may be employed as an indicator on this head, as is obvious.

In using this device, the heads it are i turned to zero and the main plugs are turned to bring the zero mark on each into view at the starting holes I). The indicator rings are turned so that the indicating slits f are in a line with the first row of holes in each players group, as shown in Fig. 1. To count the scores, it is obvious that it is simply necessary that each plug shall be rotated to bring the numerals e successively to view at holes b until ten points are counted, whereupon the plug is drawn outwardly to bring the annular series of numerals e intoalinement with the second row of holes, and after this row is exhausted the plug is drawn to the third row, and so on until all the holes in this row have been used. In Fig. l, the player using the righthand group of holes has counted up to 9 on his game, and the player using the lefthand group has counted up to 14. After 49 and a further count is to be made, the incount is to be thereafter made on this second row and that all the other rows in the group are to be ignored, even though some of the numerals of the series e may appear at some of the holes in that group. The count is then continued on the second row until 99 has been counted, and then the third row is brought into use in the same manner, and the'counting will continue in this manner until 499 has been counted on the last row. After the capacity of the group has thus been exhausted, the plugs may be turned back and another count started. Games may be scored by means of a supplemental plug, as is obvious, or these plugs may be used simply to register each count of 500 for each player. It will thus be observed that my device has a very large capacity for scoring points as well as games, and it will be observed also that it is not necessary that sufficient holes be provided to count up to 500, since a practical device havin this capacity may be made with even a single longitudinal row of holes in each group, although in case a single row of holes is thus used for each player it will be unnecessary to employ the lndicating rings f,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. YA me counter consisting of a c linder provide with a longitudinal row 0 holes, a frictionally rotatable plug in the end of the cylinder, said plug being provided at its inner end with a circumferential series of numerals arranged in sequence, the afore- 7 said perforations'in the cylinder being progresslvely designated by numerals which are multiples of the series of numerals on 'c linder, a rotatable and slidable plu frictlonally fitting in each end of the cy der and cum erential series of numerals from 1 to 10, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

WILLIAM E. DAVIS.

rovided near its inner end with a cir- 

